Hog bleeding and defibrinating apparatus



June 19, 1934. E. A. POE 1,963,097

HOG BLEEDING AND DEFIBRINA TING APPARATUS Filed May 14, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet l J ATTOR s.

June 19, 1934. E. A. POE

HOG BLEEDING AND DEF IBRINATING APPARATUS INVENTOR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill,

Filed May 14, 1928 Patented June 19 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOGBLEEDING AND DEFIBRINATING APPARATUS 11 Claims.

This invention relates to tail bleeding and defibrinating machines ofthat class employed in the preparation of serums for the inoculation ofhogs. Heretofore it has been customary upon cutting a piece from the endof the tail of a hog, to manually hold a draining appliance under thetail for the collection of the blood, the appliance being connected witha suitable suction creating means, and with such appliances it has beennecessary to exert force manually to prevent such excessive compressiveaction on the veins at the root of the tail-as might interfere with thefree drainage operation. This method. of operation was fatiguing on theoperator and relatively slow, as one man could not operate on two ormore hogs at the same time. Accordingly, it has been desirable toprovide a machine whereby the blood from a plurality of hogs could bedrained simultaneously under the control of a single operator. A furtherobject has been to provide means for automatically performing thedraining operations. Another object is to effect defibrinating actionwhile the draining action is occurring.

With these general objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts ashereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fullyunderstood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical section viewed in the opposite direction fromFigure 1, taken on the line IIL-IH of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary inverted plan view of the table, the figuresshowing one of the container stems in section and catch mechanismcarried by the table for securing the stem at the desired adjustment inthe table.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of part of said catch mechanism.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section showing the screw and nut arrangementfor effecting the engagement of the clutch-members or permitting saidclutch-members to become declutched.

Figure 7 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section of theblood drainage tube construction.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 indicates a skeletonframework of any desired length and equipped along its front and rearmargins with tracks 2, and above the framework is a support 3 ofsubstantially the same length and width as the framework, equipped witha plurality of rollers 4 engaging the tracks 2.

Extending transversely of the framework near one end thereof, andsuitably journaled therein and in a bearing 5 in fixed relation to theframework, is a shaft 6 equipped at the front side of the framework witha loose worm gear 7 engaged by a worm 8 on a shaft 9 suitably journaledon the framework and equipped with a pulley 10 to be driven by a drivebelt or the like, not shown, through the medium of an electric motor orany other source of power. At the opposite end of the shaft 6 is a disk11 having a wrist pin 12", engaged by one end of a connecting bar 13,the other end of said bar being pivoted as at 14 to the under side ofthe table 3, so that the operation of said shaft shall impart endwisereciprocatory movement to the table.

The shaft 6 carries a clutch member 15 rotatable with the worm gear, anda slidable clutch member 16, the latter being keyed to rotate with theshaft and adapted when engaged with the loose clutch member, totransmitpower from the driven shaft 9 through the constantly rotating wormgearing to effect longitudinal re- .80 ciprocatory action of the table.The shaft 6 carries a coarse-threaded nut 17 rigid with the framework orthe main bearing 5, and said nut is engaged by a screw 18 which, whenproperly turned, advances and forces clutch member 16 into engagementwith clutch member 15, reverse movement of member 18 permittingautomatic disengagement of the clutch member.

To effect adjustment of screw 18, it is provided with a crank arm 19pivotally connected by a link rod 20 to the depending crank 21 of ashort shaft 22 journaled in a bearing bracket 23 depending from theframework, and mount ed on the front end of said shaft convenient to aperson standing at the front side of the framework is a lever 24. Saidlever is equipped with a sector 24 having a pair of notches 25 and 26,and a spring-actuated latch-bolt 27 on the framework, is adapted toengage one of said notches when the lever is set to hold the clutch 1members unolutched, and to engage the other notch to hold the clutchmembers in engagement. With a long machine it is desirable to have anumber of levers similar to lever 24, for starting or stopping themovement of the support, in which event they'will be pivotally connectedtogether at their lower ends and to the first-mentioned lever, by a linkrod 28.

The support is provided at suitable intervals with vertical openings29,,there being preferably two or three of such openings withinconvenient reach of an operator at each hand lever 24, as with a machineof this character one attendant is able to conveniently take care of thesimultaneous drainage operation on two or three hogs. Fastened to theunderside of the support coincidentally with each of the openings 29, isa collar 30, and extending vertically through each of said openings andthe corresponding collar is a stem 31 having its righthand faceflattened and formed with ratchet teeth 32, the said stem having a keyor spline 33 engaging the table and collar to prevent rotating movementof the stem.

A catch 34 fits slidably in each collar, andnormally is held inengagement with the toothed face of the stem by means of a spring 35,one end of the spring bearing'against a strap'36 secured on the collaras a resistance'point for the spring. The catch is pivoted exteriorly ofthe c'ollarto the-dependingcrank arm-37 of a shaft 38 'journale'dnnthesupport or in any quivalent'inanner, and 'said shaft projects be- "yon'dthe front edge of the support 'and is equipped with'a'handle 39 forconvenience in Withdrawing the'catch to provide for vertical adjustme'ntof the stem 31.

Shaft "38 is providedwith a second depending crankwpivotally connectedby a link '41 to the depending 'crankarm 42 0f a set'screw- 43mountedjin the collar, "and adapted when the lever isfl'tfirown; tocause engagement of the catch-34 'with 'thestemto' be turned and applyclamping pressure-on the 'st'ema'nd thus'guard'against anyaccidentalfdescending movement of the stern, it beingf'noted byreference to Figure'5, that the connection between the crank-arm*37 andshank of the eatchmakesprovision for lost motion so that both thecatch'and the screw-may be properly engagedwitlrthe stem 31at the sametime. -lila'c' h"stem 31 "is equipped 'atits upper end with'afork44j andpivotally suspended within the fork by trunnions45-isa semi-cylindricalholder 46' for agl'ass orequivalent bloodcollecting -jar 47, a rubberband ifi'or the like; encircling the carrier and; the "jar to guardagainstaccidental dislocationbf the latter. The holder is mountecl fortilting 'laterally-wi'th respect to the table andfthe'jarisprovided'withfthe customary closure cap -fitted"'-with an"air-tightconnection, a short section bf hose51'or the like; forming anextension for a drain tube orbleeding horn 52 provided at its'bppositeend 'with a shorthose section 53 -to'recei've the'bleeding tail ofahog,'thelatter'be- 'ing-ad'apted to be confined withina crate or othersupport so that the upper end'of the-hose'section '53 may bear"againsthim at the base of the tail, the-fentire tail 'thus'being withinthe-drainage tube or' blejedi'ng device, or clasp around any pa'rt ofthe-"tail stub with sufiicient force to prevent air "entering the hosesection at such point of "e'iigagementbut not with sufiicient forceto socompress-the veinsasto arrest the'free flow-of blood through" the tail,the drain tube having an opening '54 for connection by a flexible tube55-to"any' suitable suction appliance, not shown, tending to createa-vacuum in the tube and thereby facilitate H the "blood-drainageoperation. Becausepf the -iieir'ibility orresiliency of thehosesction531itwillaccommodateitself to tails of reasonable; variation inthickness and, in "conjunction with' hose section '51,"avoids thenecessityof exactlypositioningthe hog at any certain "offii'z'ed pointrelative to thetable. The "tail' of the hog may, within reasonablelimits, be disposed above, below or to the right or left of the mostappropriate position Without preventing a proper engagement of hosesection 53 with the tail.

In practice it has been found that the creation of a vacuum in thedrainage tube has a tendency to result in the undue pressure'of the hosesection 53 against the animal and hence interfere with the free flow ofthe blood from the tail. To guard against this tendency of the drainagedev-ice or horn to cling tightly to the animal and interrupt free flowof blood, a restraining or controlling mechanism to prevent unduesuction of the horn on the flesh of the animal must be provided. Onemethod of accomplishing this result isto provide the horn with a hook 56connected by achain or other non-elastic connection 5'7 as well asefiectuallyinitiates defibrination. In

the practice-operation of the machine, howeven as soon-as a-hog has'beenbled to the desired degree, the station isshut downand the container isremoved, the completion of defibrination being eifected' in the ordinarymanner. To accommodate hogs of different size or in different relativepositions -with respect to the support the container supportsareverticallyadjustable as shown,

and for further-accommodation and for regulating thepressureof thedrainage tubes on the hogs, the standards -where engaged With the chains57, are "provided with vertical seriesof teeth 59. The said standardsmay be-of-any suitable type, but preferably consist of angle barsdetachably fitting in =notches I 60 of angle plates 61 secured to thetable.

As the-containermoves with :the' tableit tilts back 'and forth and thecombined-movement keeps -its contents in moretor less violentagitationso that it is impossible-to determine 'just when the containeris chargedto the extent desired. Furthermore; when theoperationwis inprogress on several hogs 'theblood :colle'ctedl within aparticularperiodwill vary in the-different containers. It is thereforeimportantathatany operator who from experience judges his container or'oneof those under' his-ichar-geahas collected 'thedesiredwolume ofblood, shallilbefia ble toarrest the table movement long enoughxtopermit the contents of such containerztozsettle l until he by visual 1inspection, can determine ithe level of the blood collected.Toithusarrestithe support he grasps' and operates the: mostaccessiblelever 24-'to effect theseparationpf the clutch members. If hehas'collected the quantity-desired, the hog is removed and he then removesthe 'co'ntainenand replaces'*it'with another, a secondhog beingthenbrought-up to-have-his tail cut and the bleeding part fitted to thedrainage tube. 'In' practice each hog is subjected to'thejblee'dingbperation" anumber of timesusually 'th'reeflat intervals abouta week apart. The *blood'collected'is later putthrougha process notconcerned -with this particular bloodeollecting apparatus, and is thenready for distribution as a serum for use in inoculating hogs againstdisease.

From the above description, it will be apparent that I have producedapparatus embodying the features set forth as desirable in the statementof the objects of the invention, and while I have shown and describedthe preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that it may be changedin various particulars without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hog bleeding and defibrinating apparatus, a support, a containermounted for vertical adjustment on the support, means to lock thecontainer in vertically adjusted position, a blood drainage devicehaving a suction opening, and connected to the container and. forreceiving the stub of the tail of a hog, and means for impartingmovement to the support for agitating the blood delivered to thecontainer through said device.

2. In a hog bleeding and defibrinating apparatus, a support, a tiltableholder carried by and above said support, a container carried by theholder, a blood drainage device having a suction opening and connectedto the container and for receiving the stub of the tail of a hog andmeans for imparting movement to the support for agitating the blooddelivered to the container through said device.

3. In a hog bleeding and defibrinating apparatus, a framework, a supportreciprocally mounted thereon, a tiltable holder carried by and abovesaid support, a container carried by the holder, a blood drainage devicehaving a suction opening and connected to the container and forreceiving the stub of the tail of a hog, and means for impartingmovement to the support for agitating the blood delivered to thecontainer through said device.

4. In a hog bleeding apparatus, a support, a framework supporting thesame, means for reciprocating the support, one or more containersmounted on the support, a blood drainage device for connecting eachcontainer with a bleeding stump of the tail of a hog, a plurality oflevers connected for conjoint operation, means actuated by either ofsaid levers for throwing the power means in or out of gear with thesupport, and means for holding the power means in operative orinoperative relation to the support.

5. In a hog bleeding apparatus, a stationary support, a horizontallymovable member mounted on said support, a container carried by saidmovable member, a drainage member on said container adapted to receivethe tail of a hog and to conduct blood to the container, means forapplying suction to the drainage member and mechanism for reciprocatingthe movable member and thereby agitating the container.

6. In a hog bleeding and defibrinating apparatus, a support, a containerthereon, a blood drainage tube having a suction opening, a flexible hoseconnecting one end of the drainagetube with the container, a hosesection carried at the other end of the drainage tube for fitting aroundthe stub and bearing endwise against the hog around the root of thetail, a standard on the support, a flexible connection adjustablevertically on the standard and connected to the bleeding horn, and meansfor imparting movement to the support for agitating the blood deliveredto the container by the drainage tube.

7. In a hog bleeding and defibrinating apparatus, a support, a stemmounted vertically on the table and provided with a forked upper end, asemi-cylindrical holder tiltable in said fork transversely of thesupport, a container fitting in the semi-cylindrical holder, an elasticband for holding the container in the holder, a blood drainage devicehaving a flexible connection with the container and a suction opening, ahose section fitting in the other end of the drainage device, arestraining mechanism connected to the horn to cooperate in the supportof the latter by the container and to prevent excessive pressure appliedby the hose section on a hog being bled through the tail, and means toreciprocate the support at right angles to the tilting action of theholder.

8. In a hog bleeding and defibrinating apparatus, a support, a holder onthe support and having a toothed stem vertically adjustable on saidsupport, a container carried by the holder, catch mechanism engaging thestem for holding the same at the desired point of adjustment, a drainagetube having a suction opening and connected to the container and forreceiving the stump of the tail of a hog, and means for impartingmovement to the support for agitating the blood delivered to thecontainer through said tube.

9. In an animal bleeding machine, the combination of a support, a membermovable on the support, a container carried by said movable member, asuctional bleeding device communicating with the container and beingadapted for abutment against an animal to be bled, a reciprocatory linkin driving relation to the movable member, mechanism for operating saidlink, and mechanism limiting relative movement between the bleedingdevice and the animal being bled.

10. In an animal bleeding machine, the combination of a support, amember movable on the support, a container carried by said movablemember, a suctional bleeding device communicating with the container andbeing adapted for abutment against an animal to be bled, a reciprocatorylink in driving relation to the movable member, mechanism for operatingsaid link, and a flexible connection secured to said bleeding device tolimit its movement toward the animal being bled.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a support, a membersustained by and capable of movement only in a prescribed pathwithrelation to the support, a container on the member, a suctional bleedinghorn communicating with the container for conducting blood to saidcontainer, a reciprocatory link in driving relation to the movablemember, and mechanism for operating said link.

EDGAR A. POE.

